On January 12, 1948, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in Sipuel v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma, affirming that African Americans have the right to study law at state-funded institutions. The case arose when Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, a Black woman, was denied admission to the University of Oklahoma's law school solely because of her race. Represented by Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP, Fisher challenged the university's decision, arguing that it violated her constitutional rights under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Fisher's favor, stating that Oklahoma must provide her with a legal education equivalent to that offered to white students. This decision did not immediately desegregate the university, but it marked a significant step in challenging racial segregation in education. Oklahoma initially attempted to create a separate law school for Black students, but continued legal challenges ultimately led to Fisher's admission to the university in 1949.

This case was pivotal in the fight against segregation, laying the groundwork for future victories, including Brown v. Board of Education (1954). The ruling reinforced the principle that "separate but equal" facilities often failed to provide true equality, advancing the broader struggle for civil rights and educational access for African Americans.